Sign structure with hinged face



an 7, R953 J. A. HOWENSTINE 2,626,473

SIGN STRUCTURE WITH HINGED FACE Filed March 28. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR.

JAMES A. HOWENST/NE Jan. 27, 1953 J. A. HOWENSTINE 2,626,473

SIGN STRUCTURE WITH HINGED FACE Filed March 28. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FIEE.

I I INVENTOR.

JAMES. A. HOWENSTINE W 95% Aifys.

Patented Jan. 27, 1953 SIGN STRUCTURE WITH HINGED FACE James A. Howenstine, Lima,

Ohio, assignor to Neon Products, Inc., Lima, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 28, 1959, Serial No. 152,367

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to sign structures and more particularly to sign structures having translucent faces and to a hinge construction for a translucent face of a sign.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple hinge structure for a translucent sign panel.

A further object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and readily constructed hinge structure for a sign panel.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will in part be apparent and will in part be obvious from the following detailed description, and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a sign having a hinge constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken along a line IIII in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation showing a sign constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in section along a line IV-IV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation of the hinge of the sign illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the hinge structure.

The sign structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a housing frame indicated at ID. The housing frame is usually in the form of a band. Housing frame It is called a filler in the trade and determines the thickness of the sign. 0n the open sides of housing frame l0, translucent panels 42 and I3 are mounted. When panels l2 and I3 are attached to the housin frame, a closed hollow structure is formed which is illuminated from within by appropriate lighting units (not shown).

In conventional structures, moldings of L- shape in section are used for securing panels to a housing frame. Specially designed moldings l4 and 16 are employed for framing the translucent panels of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 2, each of the molding bands is of F-shape in cross-section. Molding band [4 includes a stem I! and a pair of inwardly directed arms 18. Stem ii is adapted to embrace a side edge of housing frame It. Molding band is of similar shape and includes a stem is which embraces and is attached to the other side of housing frame It and inwardly directed arms 20. The arms of molding band 44 hold a marginal flange 2| of panel l2 so that molding band [4 frames panel .2 :2. Similarly, the arms of molding band it hold a marginal flange '22 of panel l3 so that moldin band It frames panel 13.

Framed panel I2 is mounted on the housing frame or filler II] by means of a specially designed hinge 23. Hinge 23 is mounted on the top of the sign structure and includes plates 24 and 26. Hinge plate 24 is attached to housing frame l0 while hinge plate 26 is attached to the stem of molding band l4. The hinge plates are spaced from the housing frame and from the molding band by blocks 21 and zaresp'ectively.

When panel 12 and its molding ring 14 are closed, they are held in place by thumb screws 29. When thumb screws '29 are released, panel I2 and its molding frame can be swung back t give access to the interior-of the sign.

The sign structure illustrated in Figs, 3 to 6 inclusive comprises a'sign supporting framework including a main frame band or ring 3| of T- shape in cross-section and a pair of adapter or filler bands 33 and 34 of channel shape in crosssection. Filler bands 33 and 34 fit on opposite sides of the flange of frame band 32 and may be held against the flange of the main frame band by appropriate brackets 35. The main frame band is supported by an upright pedestal 36 (Fig. 3).

The open side of filler band 34 (Fig. 4) is covered by a stationary translucent panel 31, While the open side of filler band 33 is covered by a hinged translucent panel 38. When panels 31 and 38 are in place, a closed hollow structure is formed which is illuminated from within by appropriate lighting units (not shown). Panel 37 is framed by a molding band 39 of F-sha e in cross-section. As shown in Fig. 4, the stem of band 34 embraces and is attached to the web of filler band 34. Panel 38 is framed by a molding band 4| of F-shape in cross-section having a stem adapted to embrace the web of filler band 33.

Filler band 33 and molding band 4| are connected by a specially designed hinge 42. Hinge 42 includes a pair of flat hinge plates 43 and 44 which are attached to filler band 33 and moldin band 4| respectively. Hinge plate 43 is spaced from filler band 33 by a spacer block 46, while hinge plate 44 is spaced from holding band 44 by a spacer block 41. Lower sides of blocks 46 and 47 are curved, as shown in Fig. 5, to fit around filler band 33 and molding band 4! respectively. The upper side of each spacer block is provided with a flat portion in engagement with one of the hinge plates.

Molding 4| and panel 38, which is framed thereby, can swing on hinge 42 toward and away from the sign framework as shown in Fig. 4. The panel is illustrated at open position in dot-dash lines at 38a. Panel 38 may be held in closed position by a clamp 48 which is adapted to draw the stem of molding band 4| over the web of filler band 33 until the inner flange 49 of molding band 4| abuts filler band 33.

The hinge structure of the present invention makes it possible easily and quickly to gain access to the interior of an internally lighted sign having translucent faces when necessary to service lighting tubes and the like.

The general construction of the framework of the sign illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive is described in greater detail and claimed in pending application Serial No. 154,317 filed April 6, 1950, of James A. Howenstine, now United States Patent No. 2,562,553 issued July 31, 1952. The general arrangement of the sign structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is described in and claimed in pending application Serial No. 89,743 filed April 26, 1949 of James A. Howenstine, now Patent No. 2,505,673.

The sign structures of this invention are subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A sign structure which comprises an annular main frame band of T-shape in section, the leg of the T forming an inwardly extending flange, an annular closed loop filler frame band of channel shape in transverse section disposed inside the cross bar of the main frame band on each side of the leg thereof, the flanges of said channels extending inwardly from the webs thereof, means for holding one flange of each filler band in abutment with the leg of the main frame band, the

cross bar of the main frame band embracing the filler bands, a hinge having one plate attached to the web of one of the filler frame bands, an annular molding 01' substantially F-shape in section attached to the other plate of said hinge, the stem of said molding being adapted to embrace the web of said one of the filler bands with one of the bars of said molding abutting the other flange of said one of the filler bands, a second annular molding band of substantially F-shape in section attached to the other filler frame band with the stem of said other molding band embracing the web of said other filler frame band, one of the bars of said other molding band abutting the other flange of said other filler band, the bars of said molding bands forming inwardly facing closed loop channels, and a transparent panel having its marginal edge seated in each of said channels. the first mentioned molding and its associated panel swinging from an open position away from the frame bands to a closed position in which the stem of said one of the moldings embraces the web of said one of the filler frame bands and the panels close the open sides of the frame bands.

JAMES A. HOWENSTINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,800,603 Carlson Apr. 14, 1931 1,851,335 Taliaferro 1 Mar. 29, 1932 1,943,719 Buhr Jan. 16, 1934 2,383,881 Murphy Aug. 28, 1945 2,505,673 Howenstine Apr. 25, 1950 

